Four Questions Today’s CEO Candidates Must Ask

The high rate of CEO turnover in the past few years is unusual given that the business climate is relatively strong, notes WittKieffer president and CEO Andrew Chastain in a recent CEO World article. “While most of the churn is through planned succession, many chief executives are being held to higher performance standards than in the past and are expected to meet or exceed them quickly,” he writes.

Chastain also sees the mindset of CEOs changing around tenure. “Few expect a 10 or 15 year run any more. Some chief executives consider five to seven years the optimal tenure,” he adds.

In the article, Chastain outlines and explains four critical questions that CEO candidates must ask to set the stage for success, should they be given the top job. They include:

What led to the transition?

Does the board have a strategic plan or would they want me to develop one?